COVID-19, the pandemic of 2020, SARS, Corona Virus, vaccinations, monoclonal antibodies, Dr. Fauci, Will Smith? Are we really at the end of a journey? Maybe, just maybe, or are we on a new journey? One where people openly disrespect each other? The headline on national news is no longer COVID or Dr. Fauci but rather, Will Smith, Chris Rock, and …
Okay, the world kept spinning through the COVID pandemic. We were locked down, many of us became ill, and some of those near and dear to us didn’t survive but we soldiered on. Sure, most people you talk to will tell you that they consumed more adult beverages than they normally would, but this is a no-judgment zone! As we …
CMS has rolled out mandatory vaccine requirements for employees working in post-acute care settings. The regulation clearly states that communities must provide documentation that their employee vaccination rate is 100%, excluding exemptions and delays. So, what does this mean to you? Bottom line, if your center is cited for not meeting the 100% vaccine requirement for employees, you will likely …
In 2013 the National Quality Foundation (NQF) endorsed the Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock: Management Bundle (SEP-1) and it was implemented by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in October 2015, requiring emergency rooms to follow the process. The measure has seven basic elements that guide clinicians in the treatment of patients brought to the emergency room with …
Are you one of those people who “can’t fall asleep” without the television on? Do you find it more comfortable to have a “night light” on? Well, thankfully, I am NOT that person and in fact, it makes me a little cranky if the room isn’t totally dark at night. I’m actually pretty excited about an article I read regarding …
Everyone is still reeling from the impact loss of companionship has had on our seniors, up to and including death. I read an interesting article in JAMA Neurology where the researchers evaluated the impact on COVID-19 on residents living with dementia, focused primarily on nursing home settings. The question was “is the COVID-19 pandemic associated with changes in mortality among …
We have had this discussion to the point of nausea, right? Sorry, I’m back again to add to your angst! I recently visited an acute care facility where a family member was being cared for. I proudly donned my KN95 mask, used hand sanitizer at the entrance and went to the screening desk for a temperature check (yes, this added …
Join the club! Everyone I talk to lately is struggling to get enough sleep and most of us get less than the recommended hours of sleep per night. Sure, there are over-the-counter sleep aids, soothing white noise machines, etc. but at the end of the day, we are still struggling to find that happy place. In a recent article published …
For the past several years, post-acute care providers have beat the drum, “send us help”, “send us supplies”, “send us staff”, but to no avail. The general public was and continues to be told we didn’t do our job in protecting our residents. Not only is this information hurtful, it is also false, each and every one of us did …
Since the beginning of time, it seems, we have educated our staff on the importance of root cause analysis (RCA). RCA is mainly used to identify “why” something happened, including falls, sepsis, elopements, etc. Our QAPI committees meet quarterly (or more often, hopefully) and discuss the “5 whys”, we “peel back the onion”, we use the fishbone diagram, but no …
